Municipalities here have protested after the government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued a circular to local levels requesting them to remove encroachments along with data on squatters for the protection and record management of government and public land.
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The local levels of Udayapur have decided not to immediately evict squatters who have been illegally living on government land.
The local levels have protested after the government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, requested the local levels to remove the encroachments along with the data of squatters for the protection and record management of government and public land. They have also said that they are not ready for this task, saying that the federal government is trying to cause unnecessary suffering to citizens in the name of protecting public land.
The Triyuga Municipality issued a statement on Monday, stating that the municipality is concerned about the demolition of houses and physical structures, which is causing fear to citizens who have been living on public land for years and making them homeless.
A statement issued by Mayor Basanta Basnet reads, ‘This municipality is committed to protecting public and government property, but since this municipality has already distributed land to citizens who have been living and using public land for years, we want to assure all residents that they will stand firm in granting them the right to use the land they have been using.’
Belka Municipality has said that there has been fear, confusion and widespread complaints among residents in the context of collecting details of citizens living illegally on government, Guthi and public land, and the municipality is serious about it. Mayor Ashok Karki, while issuing a video message, said that no decision on issues related to people’s residence, livelihood and fundamental rights will be allowed to go against the public interest. He said, ‘The municipality will stand firm against any step that will harm the rights, entitlements and security of the residents.’
Chaudandigadhi Municipality has stated that it will distribute occupancy certificates to protect government land and organize unorganized settlements and squatters. In a video message, Mayor Kaluman Lama said, ‘It is not like saying that there is no one to speak the jasmine of the poor, the municipality and I will speak and fight.’
Katari Municipality Mayor Rajesh Chandra Shrestha, on the other hand, said that he would support the government’s move by removing those who have been illegally building structures on public and government land. In an interview with Kantipur, he said that it is necessary to remove encroachments to protect government land and said that he would work in coordination with the federal government. However, he said that the municipality will provide landowner certificates to actual squatters who have been living on public land for years.
‘The municipality is working on collecting data on landless, Dalit and squatter residents, and we are in the process of providing them with white papers soon,’ he said. The rural municipalities in the district have not said anything about this.
